"Nobody can start over and make a new beginning, but anybody can start from now and make a new ending."

-- Unknown

DISCLAIMER: Henry, Francis, Marie, Laurent, Danielle, Paulette, Louise, Maurice, Jacqueline, Marguerite, the Baroness, Leonardo Da Vinci, Le Pieu, and Gabriel (though I did give him that name), are not mine, and neither is the original story for the movie Ever After. I'm just barrowing them for my own amusement. However, Sonny, Mary Grace, Mildred the Maid, and the idea behind Jean Paul LaCroix, are mine and are copyrighted by me, so there!! Lol.

WARNING!!: This story is rated for Adult Themes, Language and Violence. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS STORY IF THE IDEA OF SEXUAL ASSAULT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE!! Through rape and other sex crimes have been a grim reality throughout the curse of human events, I completely respect that fact that some people would rather not here about it. So I'm giving you fair warning now. If you continue reading past this point, then it's in you're hands.

AUTHORS NOTE: Danielle's troubles are based on MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, and therefore I do not take her pain in jest. I cannot speak for all victims, but this is the aftermath of what I went through. Questions, comments, death threats, can be emailed to MoonFire013Yahoo.com

ENJOY!!!!

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Chapter One: Nightmare

She swung her arms in front of her face aimlessly. She could no longer see. Gone was her perception. It had been taken over by fear and anger. She swatted at him wildly, desperately trying to get him off of her. He was straddling her, sitting on her hips in a way that not only dug her bottom into the hard mattress, but also cut off the blood from flowing to her legs. So in effect, she was immobile. Immobile, angry, but most of all horrified.

She caught him off guard as her left hand smacked him hard across the head. He fell from his perch slightly, but recovered before Danielle could take advantage of the opportunity. He grabbed both of her still moving arms at the wrists and pressed them into the mattress by her head so that he was leaning over her. His face a mere three inches from hers.

"You are a WILD little thing aren't you? Oh do play naughty again, I so love your spirit" he sneered, his eyes a clever mix of arousal and anger. A small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. For a brief moment Danielle could do nothing but stare back at him. Unshed tears clouded her eyes as she began to realize that she may not be able to get out this one. But then just as quickly as it had come, the sadness lifted and in it's place came a feeling of disgust. He really was an ugly looking thing. Like a bold rat with the characteristic voice of a dirty old man and breath that smelled like brandy and cigars. It was sickening.

With that in mind she stared hard into his eyes and when it looked like he was about to lean into her for a kiss she reared back and spat into his face. Her saliva dripping down his nose he hissed wildly and Danielle couldn't help but notice his cheeks turning rather pink. In one fluid motion he lifted his right hand off of her wrist and smack her hard across the face. The sound of the blow alone made Danielle gasp. She took a moment to recover as the awful burning sensation took hold.

As she lay there Danielle marveled at the quickness of life. Less then a week ago she was just an average servant, working her father's precious farm all day. To break the monotony she would go for a swim in the nearby river or pick wild flowers. Then suddenly, in a matter of days in fact, she had fallen hopelessly in love with the Crown Prince of France.

At first he irritated her. The dark rebellious boy they called Henry. He was spoiled, selfish, arrogant and way too rich for his own good. But soon, through a series of conversations she began to realize that Henry's snobbery didn't come from a place of hatred. He didn't really believe that his servants were beneath him. Instead he was suffering from a horrible case of cabin fever. He didn't know anything different then the life of a Prince. Where everything is done for you, and you're never alone long enough to think about other ways of life.

Danielle realized that Henry desperately wanted to see the world. He wanted to learn other ways of thinking, and get to know other kinds of people, as evident by his frequent attempts to run away.

It was soon after she realized these things that Danielle's heart softened. She felt for the Prince. She felt love for the Prince. And soon, he was proposing, and telling her all these pretty things that she always dreamt she'd hear. He wanted to marry her; she'd be a Princess. She wanted to marry him. Oh god, did she ever, only… only she was a walking lie.

He knew her by her mother's name. He knew a courtier who was refined, and intelligent. When in fact, she was a servant who picked vegetables, and washed peoples feet all day long. What had her stepmother once called her? A poor little country girl?

She went to the ball that night to tell him the truth. She wanted to be alone with him for all of three seconds and attempt to explain the craziness of the last few days, but she never got the chance. Stepmother blew every hope she had for her and Henry to part on good terms when she took the liberty to announce to the entire ball the Countess Nicole de Lencre was a bald faced lie.

Henry's words still stung her. The anger and fierceness of his voice was like a dagger to the heart. And soon, she went back to being a servant. The man she loved hated her. Stepmother and Marguerite were jumping at every chance to tease her, and she was back to the vegetables.

It was funny, but Danielle imagined that she'd lived a whole lifetime in that one week. But now it was over.

Now she was lying in the bed of the most disgusting pig on the planet. Trying to no avail to find a way out of this horrible mess.

She had wasted no time in trying to escape. Just because she had been "sold" to a new "owner" didn't mean was ready to give up hope. She wasn't a quitter. The minute Pierre Le Pieu turned his back she had made a break for the outside but thanks to a cowardly servants alert he darted after her and caught up just as she was about to open the front door.

He bound her in irons and later on he confronted her in his "Armor Room" were they was surrounded by pointy objects and torches. She had tried to act coy, shrugging off his advances. When that didn't work she became firm and commanding. Ordering him to maintain his distance. Her harsh words only seemed to heighten his interest. Then when she realized that no amount of talking was going to release her, she tried grabbing for his dagger. She reached for it, but he saw her movement and grabbed her wrist hard with his hand. He pulled her hand up to his face, intending to suckle on the tip of one of her fingers. She had jerked away hard, and when she did, he had been caught by surprise. And as Danielle lost her balance and fell backwards, hitting her head on the dark wood table behind her, all he could do was watch and muse over his sudden good fortune.

Danielle had been knocked unconscious and when she woke up he was straddling her. She was naked from the waste down, only a few flimsy pieces of fabric separated her from that awful man. When he realized that she had woken up he snickered dryly and turned his attention away from exposing her chest to her rather puzzled face.

That had been over an hour ago, and Danielle had been fighting him ever since. He had only managed to get in a few small kisses on her lips as she smacked at his head wildly.

But, Danielle was growing tired, and soon she realized that it was only a matter of time before she could no longer fight against him.

And now as she lay there, her face burning, tears just under the surface of her eyes, she realized that if she didn't do something relevant soon she was in for a long, pain filled night. She could feel him studying her, obviously taking pleasure in her apparent pain. Danielle thought she heard him giggle for a second, but she couldn't be sure. Her mind, it seems had run away to happier times and better thoughts

It was then that she realized that he had released her arms in order to gawk at her shamelessly. She felt the rage build up again and in one final desperate plea for freedom she punched him hard on the side of his head.

His groan was deep and his eyes bugged out of his skull for a second. But he didn't budge. For a scrawny little thing he was awfully strong. Instead he glared at her and this time the lust was gone, now there was only rage and determination.

Just when he was about to strike her again a grim idea crossed his mind. Danielle watched as it took his mouth and twisted it into an evil grin.

She watched as he grabbed for the pillow, and as it came crashing down hard on her face her mind again wandered. The fight knocked out of her, the oxygen depleting, she wondered if her mother would be waiting for her on the other side.

Blackness.

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"Exactly what in the hell do you think you're doing?" Henry spun around quickly. He sighed when he caught a glimpse of his father's gruff looking face. The King was obviously disappointed. Standing to his right the Queen was stoned faced, but as Henry locked his eyes with his mothers he saw the joy dancing in them.

The dusty street was crowded. Everyone who was anyone was at church that day, attending what was supposed to be Prince Henry's wedding to the Princess Gabriella of Spain. Now dozens of people poured out of the church mumbling and gossiping to their respective parties as to why the Prince had suddenly walked out of his own wedding.

A few people had seen him charge into the streets and judging by the looks on their faces Henry knew that they were dying to approach him. Of course nobody did. Nobody with any social class would dare pry into the private life of the Crown Prince so deliberately. Instead, they scurried way, eyes locked on their feet as they made a mental note to attend court the next day to catch up on the latest developments.

"I would love to discuss this with you Father, but there is much to be done, so I'll be going now." Henry turned to go but King Francis' voice was booming, and caught the attention of everyone in earshot.

"Like HELL you will!"

"Francis, calm down, everyone is staring!" Queen Marie said breaking her silent victory dance.

"Does it look like that concerns me? Henry, we had an agreement. Either you pick your bride or I pick it for you!! You announced your engagement to Gabriella, so what in gods name are you doing!!"

"I changed my mind." Henry's bluntness was startling and it left King Francis at a sudden loss for words. Henry took the brief silence as an opportunity to look around.

His eyes scanned the growing crowd of people who were all pretending not to be immersed in the spectacle Henry and his parents were creating. He stopped as he spotted what he was looking for. The old man sitting at the reins of the Baroness Rodmilla De Ghent's carriage appeared to he singing to himself happily. A few yards away the younger, all around better of the De Ghent sisters, Jacqueline, was giggling merrily at what was sure to be another one of Laurent's over exaggerated comical adventures.

King Henry noticing his son's apparent lack of interest and found his voice again. "You changed your mind? Are you MAD, boy? Do you honestly think it's that easy to renegotiate a treaty just because you happen to change your MIND??"

"Oh come on. Stop being so stubborn, man. She didn't want to marry me any more then I wanted to marry her. And, if memory serves me it was she who was blubbering like a newborn babe in there."

"Quite true, but she was willing to fulfill her obligations to her country. Seriously Henry, how do you think it looked to everyone when you burst out laughing?"

"How do you think it looked to everyone when she went dashing down the isle and flung herself into the arms of her lover?" By this time Henry was laughing to himself. He remembered the feeling her got walking down the isle that morning. The tightness of his chest, the hard lump in his throat. He went there to the church that morning to get married, to a girl that he's assumed wanted o marry him. Never did he imagine that she was just as miserable as he was. No. She was more miserable because her lover knew exactly how she felt. How it must have pained her to know that he was watching as she walked down the isle into the waiting arms of another man. They cried together. Mourning the loss of their great love together for all to see.

As Henry kneeled in front of the preacher with his soon to be bride he realized that Danielle was probably mourning their love at that moment. Only, she was alone. He had chickened out in the worst way possible. He had left her alone and broken and in the end his pretty words meant nothing because his actions were cruel.

He started laughing. What an idiot he was! It was then that his cheeks flushed and he was sure that everyone thought of him as a coward.

If his almost bride could shameless flaunt her love for someone obviously beneath her station, then what the hell was wrong with him?

He was scared, he realized with a start. He had spent his whole life sure that he would end up a cold miserable man because of his crown, and now that there was a glimmer of hope for him he didn't know what to do with it.

If he were with Danielle he'd have no choice but to see his obligations in a new light. He would have to let go of the annoyances and see it as a beautiful opportunity to change the world he'd rebelled against for so long. And if he did that then he'd have to admit that being the King of France wouldn't be so bad after all. And if being King weren't so bad, then he'd have to grow up and accept some responsibility.

But in many ways Henry was still a little boy inside.

If he married Gabriella, or anyone else for that matter out of obligation then he'd have a reason to be miserable. With Danielle there were simply no excuses. And that terrified him.

He was terrified.

And yet, it felt wonderful. It felt so good not to have something planned out for him, for once. And it was with that sentiment that he stood, urging Gabriella to stand too. As she begged him in Spanish not to make her marry him, Henry's eyes misted up. And he laughed when he realized that they had something in common. Because on the inside, Henry was no more then a desperate blubbering idiot, crying out NO!

He sent her into her lover's arms with a kiss on the cheek, and rejoiced as he watched them reunite. Now it was his turn. It was time to grow up.

Suddenly, Henry snapped back into reality when he heard the Baroness's snotty laughter behind him. He turned just in time to see her, Marguerite, and Jacqueline enter their carriage. Then it dawned on him that he had not dashed out intending to get into a debate with his father, but to find his love. His Danielle.

"I must go father." He said in a matter of fact tone. As he broke into a run all he could hear was his father's muttered protests. But it was too late; the carriage had disappeared out of sight.

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"Damn it" Paulette muttered to herself still kneading the dough that should have already been cooking. She hadn't realized how hard it would be without Danielle around the house.

Paulette stopped momentarily to massage her aching knuckles. She simply wasn't what she used to be. She wasn't a girl of 14 anymore looking for work and a great love. No, she was a 50-year-old servant woman with arthritis in her fingers and ankles.

There were so many reason's she missed Danielle but at that moment she cursed herself for not realizing how much longer it would take to make bread without Danielle being there to knead it.

"Damn that Prince." She spouted sourly, still massaging.

"What was that?" Paulette looked up and noticed that Louise had reentered the room with a basket of apples. They had planned to make apple cider that afternoon, but without Danielle around to enjoy it there didn't seem to be much point.

"Oh nothing dear," Paulette assured the older woman, "I'm just missing Danielle is all." Louise's face grew solemn and Paulette knew she shouldn't have mentioned it. It was just too hard of a subject to bear.

"I feel like we failed her, Paulette." Louise's already white face grew paler and Paulette was sure that she was about to drop the basket of apples all over the floor.

"So do I." Paulette admitted with a sigh. Their eyes locked and in a few moments both women were in tears.